[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 93 (Tuesday, June 4, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E705-E706]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING THE BICENTENNIAL OF VANDALIA, ILLINOIS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SHIMKUS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 4, 2019

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Vandalia, Illinois, 
which is celebrating its bicentennial this year.
  Located in Fayette County, Vandalia was the state's first capital 
city. Situated on the Kaskaskia River, the Illinois General Assembly 
first met in Vandalia in December 1820. At the time, the state 
treasurer transacted business

[[Page E706]]

at his home, while the auditor and secretary of state worked in the 
brick building that housed the state bank.
  The first capitol building was destroyed by fire in 1823 and a second 
capitol building was built in haste the following summer. Two years 
later people refused to enter the building for fear it would collapse, 
and so a third capitol building was constructed, which is the one that 
stands today.
  Abraham Lincoln began his political career in Vandalia in 1834, and 
five years later the Illinois General Assembly met for the last time in 
the Vandalia Statehouse. In one of its final acts, the legislature 
deeded the building to Fayette County and the town of Vandalia. The 
State of Illinois purchased the old statehouse and public square in 
1918 to ensure its preservation for future generations, and in the 
decades following carried out a major effort to restore the building to 
its Lincoln-era appearance.
  Madam Speaker, with four days of activities planned, the celebration 
promises to highlight the city's rich history. It is an honor to 
recognize the City of Vandalia as it celebrates its bicentennial, and I 
wish it all the best for the future.

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